Apple map glitch relocates Dublin Airport to farm

A technical glitch on Apple's mapping software led to some confusion as to where Dublin airport is located.

The capital's airport is situated on the north side about six miles outside the capital. But on the iOS 6 map application its position is given as a farm in Dundrum, three miles south of the city.

Airfield is a 35-acre estate which sits in the Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter's constituency.

The error led him to issue a statement.

"I know on occasion mistakes can be made and I am surprised to discover that Airfield has, in Apple's new operating system iOS 6 maps application, been designated with the image of an aircraft," he said.

"Airfield, a 35-acre estate with working farm, formal gardens and cafe is of course a famous and immensely popular, important local amenity.

"Clearly the designation is not only wrong but is dangerously misleading in that it could result in a pilot, unfamiliar with the area, in an emergency situation and without other available information, attempting a landing.

"I have arranged that Apple be informed of the error and requested that it be urgently corrected.

"In context of Airfield there are a variety of possible alternative images that could be utilised such a cow, a goat, a sheep, a flower or any indeed other type of plant as Airfield operates a nursery.

"An aircraft is an entirely inappropriate flight of imagination."

Dublin Airport later took to Twitter to reassure its followers.

Confusion

"Just in case anybody is confused Dublin Airport is not moving to the southside. #mapfail," it tweeted.

And Apple has not just been confusing airports. It has also misplaced the city's zoo.

It is situated in the grounds of Phoenix Park in the west of the city but the company's mapping mistake means it is showing up in Temple Bar - an enclave in the city centre, full of bars and nightclubs.

Some jokers have asked if anyone would notice the difference between the party animals and the inhabitants of the zoo.

Many users in the Republic of Ireland and further afield have failed to see the funny side.

They've taken to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media networks to mock the failings of the mapping application.

Apple said it appreciated all the customer feedback it was receiving about the app and would work hard to improve it.

The company decided to develop its own mapping software after deciding it no longer wanted to use Google's equivalent.

Apple's own system has been created using data from navigation firm TomTom and others.

In a statement, Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the launch of Apple Maps was a major undertaking for the firm.